It can be your turn tomorrow,Farhatullah warns media outlets

 

ISLAMABAD: PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar has warned that if today some media houses thoughtlessly support banning a media group in the name of national security and patriotism, the same forces will come back to haunt them tomorrow but then there may be no one to defend them.
Speaking at a seminar on Press Freedom Day organised by the Press Council of Pakistan here on Saturday, Farhatullah Babar said that defining national security and patriotism cannot be the monopoly of any individual or a single national institution and called for an informed national debate on what constituted national security.

He said that a particular channel may be accused of editorial indiscretion but such indiscretion should in no way be equated as an assault on national security or a deliberate unpatriotic act.

He said that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was also once dubbed by a section of the establishment as ‘security risk’ and the PPP knew too well how national security has often been flaunted to advance vested interests and hide uncomfortable truths.

He said that the PPP also protested against a section of the media for taking freedom and right to information too far and refusing to adopt a code of conduct but it will not favour clamping curbs on the media for real or imagined transgressions.

He said that former President Asif Ali Zardari had also stated that while it is important to have a code of conduct, it would be wrong to clamp down on the media house because of real or imagined excesses and deviations.

Later, talking to the media, the PPP leader said that rightly or wrongly, state agencies have been accused of acting beyond the confines of law, kidnapping and enforced disappearances of citizens, dumping of bodies in Balochisan, disappearance of 35 prisoners from a Malakand jail and assault on some journalists to name only a few of the instances. “The Supreme Court, the Commission on Enforced Disappearances and the Senate of Pakistan has repeatedly called for a legislative framework to regulate the functioning of these agencies,” he added.

He said the involvement of agencies in political engineering and manipulation of political parties has even been established in the Asghar Khan case and in such a situation it is in the interest of the agencies to seek to allay serious misgivings about them instead of seeking to clamp on the media.

Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the sudden resurgence of banned militant outfits and the midnight sprouting of posters and billboards supporting agencies against a section of the media in the name of patriotism and national security has raised questions.

He said that it was time for a national debate on media freedom and a code of conduct on the one hand and defining national security and who should authoritatively define the term on the other.

Your prayers saved my papa, says Mir’s daughter

 

I have always believed in miracles, but have never personally witnessed one as magnificent as that which gave my father the strength to survive six bullets. Six bullets, three that are still inside, are not easy to take and stay alive. I was struck by shock, disbelief…but I still couldn’t believe that my father would leave me. Perhaps, I had too much faith in Allah to firmly believe that my father’s years’ long struggle could not have such a bitter end. Besides, the countless number of prayers and blessing being sent his way could not go unanswered by Allah. Surely, all of your heartfelt prayers have saved my father from a highly fatal attack, but believe me, you have saved me too. I thank you.
While I am not in the right state of mind to be saying much, I have mustered up enough courage to make a fairly simple point: My father’s aim as a journalist has been, and always will be, to fight for the prosperity and well-being of all of us, Pakistanis. Yes, a lot of you may not concur with his stance on many important matters, but for the sake of our own nation, for the sake of one’s family, please realise that violence is not the answer.

I can’t speak for my father but I, some of the hurtful accusations, I have read on social media and in some parts of media make me feel the pain of bullets he must have felt. We must learn to resolve our differences by means other than those which compel hundreds of our journalists to sacrifice their lives for the mere purpose of ensuring that justice is served. My point is not to ask for greater security measures for me and my family, for our only saviour is Allah, but to speak on behalf of all those families who have lost their loved ones to a battle that is ours as a nation. Patriotism has many forms, talking about the wrongs and injustice of our society is highlighted so that we can fix them and bring Pakistan together, and not so we can demoralise anyone. As long as the families of all the missing persons remain in a state of mourning and uncertainty, we must feel obliged to make their pain our own, we must fill the silence with unity.

Many years ago my grandfather, Waris Mir, also lost his life in this same battle for justice and freedom, and it was in the aftermath of his death that my father felt the need to continue this struggle by using two simple tools: a pen and the right to freedom of expression. And I assure you, the amount of hard work that my father devotes towards this goal is not only enough to boost my spirit, but also to provide thousands of Pakistani youths with the inspiration and strength to keep fighting until Pakistan wins back its happiness through democracy, tolerance and rule of law. Those who oppose may try to silence us through violence, but the power of our voices is way greater than their guns.

Ayesha Mir is 18-year-old student and daughter of Hamid Mir

8 Things you need to know about your heart

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in most countries. It is quite important to reveal warning signs as soon as possible in order to prevent further problems. Read up on these 8 key facts and learn how to manage and improve your heart health.

Sleep seven to eight hours to protects your heart
People who sleep less than 6 hours a night show tree times the risk of developing heart disease than those who get seven to eight hours. Sleep helps to regulate insulin activity. Lack of sleep causes your more resistance to insulin that results in higher blood sugar levels and will contribute to heart disease due to weight gain. Exhaustion is another symptom of heart disease that is often ignored in females. If you notice that you are persistently exhausted, even after sleeping well, consult your physician.

Dropping just 10 lbs reduces the risk of heart disease
Sure, weight matters, but your waistline can be an even better indicator of your heart health. Females with waistlines over 40 inches and males with waistlines over 45 inches are at increased risk of heart disease. Studies show that losing even just 10 to 15% of your weight can significantly improve your heart health. And 25 to 55 minutes of aerobic exercise at least four times a week can help to strengthen your heart and reduce bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, especially if combined with a healthy diet.